‘Tortured and Shot’: Survivors Recall Massacre of 70 Men by Myanmar Military in 2024
Soldiers told survivors that the massacre in Byain Phyu was retaliation for the defeat and casualties the military suffered at the hands of the Arakan Army in the Battle for Kyauktaw.
On May 29-31, 2024, a brutal massacre occurred in Byain Phyu, a predominantly Rakhine Buddhist village close to Sittwe, the capital of Myanmar's Rakhine State. Six trucks carrying heavily armed soldiers arrived unexpectedly at 8 a.m., prompting residents to assemble at the village center. About 800 men were then forced to move to the outskirts of the village, where they were blindfolded and marched to different locations.
Women and children were separated and questioned by soldiers, with some being allowed to remain seated until further notice.
At around 7 p.m., testimonies of torture and gunfire began to emerge. As dawn broke the next day, smoke was seen emanating from the village cemetery, indicating the possible deaths of many residents. One survivor, Kyaw Kyaw Aung, had been compelled to return home after being stopped and forced to sell his paintings in Sittwe. He recounted that about 70 men were killed, tortured and shot multiple times, with their bodies either buried or cremated at the cemetery and near a nearby lake.
Some thirsty residents were forced to drink soldiers' urine, with some protestors being beaten. At least ten men lost their mobility and speech due to the torture.
Written by urgent.news from The Diplomat's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
